When it feels like rain...

When it feels like rain… you are definitely not in New Mexico! It has rained once, maybe twice all summer. Oh rain. I miss you so! Oddly enough, I miss the snow even. BUT… last winter was amazing. The warmth of the NM summer sun. The chilly days which only required a sweater. Sigh.

Who talks about the weather in a blog post? :P

We have been back in NM for over a year now, as you can tell by the last time I posted, this blog is seriously neglected. I won't say that I am going to keep it up, but it is a place I know some people come to see how we are doing so it lives on! New Mexico, I love it here… sorta. My family makes this place wonderful, I love many things about this place because I grew up here. The dry desert, the cactus, the yucca, the rolling tumble weeds, the pulsing heat, I love it. I could do with some more moisture though. Dang it. Utah. I miss Utah. We went back for a visit to our family that lives there and it was so nice to be back. I can't say that it felt like home. It just felt so familiar and nice. All the things we love could be there. I really just don't see us ending up back in Utah though. We just don't have as many opportunities there. It would take Aaron getting into school there for us to have a good reason to go back. Otherwise, it will just have to be the feeling we go off of but frankly, I just want to settle down, have a nice home, and a few more children.

Grad school. It's definitely been the hardest thing I have ever-ever had to do. I know being a stay at home mom is hard. It's a trying experience, but getting my masters has been harder than I imagined it would be. It takes a lot out of me mentally and emotionally. I don't get to spend very much time with Aaron and Sam most days of the week. Aaron has just been a life saver throughout this process. He has been completely there for me and has been the best Dad taking care of our little boy when I can't. I couldn't possibly thank him enough because first of all he works and supports our family, but second he comes home after a long day at work and some nights takes care of Sam all by himself. What a support and example he has shown me. I know that quite possibly in a year (or less) from now Aaron will be the one who is going to school and as time consuming I feel my program is, I know he is going to need to constantly be studying because he has so much in such a short amount of time. I am going to be in his position as a worker and a solo parent. I hate grad school, I hate how it stresses me and takes me from my loved ones even when I am with them, I'm still thinking of all the things I have to do for school. On the other hand, I love it so much. I began the program last year with hardly any residual applicable knowledge from my undergrad, and I have learned so much more and have grown so much more as a person. Just from this experience alone, I know that I am capable of doing hard things. I am a strong person and I have the will to do well, and I am going to. Alas, in one year, I will be finished and I will be well on my way to becoming a certified SLP.

Aaron has submitted his overall application to PA school, he is now working on all of the supplemental applications that most of the schools require. He has been so diligent about it. I am very proud of him. I have no doubt that Aaron deserves to have the opportunity to go to school now and fulfill his dream of becoming a PA. He is one of the most dedicated and prepared applicants. I just hope the schools can see that and that they will give him a chance. If PA school does not work out for Aaron, I know that we are going to be fine, and we will just move forward. BUT, if he does get in… fireworks, parades, and sangria for everyone :). Not really, we will be elated. He deserves it.

Life has been good. It is in fast forward which is a good and bad feeling. I can't want to be done with school here and move on, on the other hand, I love taking things slow and watching my baby boy grow into a little boy every day, I don't want our lives to pass us by too fast during all of this schooling.

Some fun things we have done/are doing:

Went to see Tim McGraw in concert in UT

Got our first brand new car

We are training to run in either a half marathon or at least the 5k on Labor day.

Good times-

Aaron was recently released as a ward mission leader and is now serving in the young men's presidency.

I'm on break from school for a few weeks, and I am trying my hardest to be a lazy as possible so that I can actually feel like working hard again.

Well, that's the update… I hope life is treating all y'all well! Till next time… :)

All in His timing...

I guess it really is time to update this blog. I go back and forth about even keeping it, but I guess if it is for anyone, it should be for us to remember these times. And if we're going to do that a little better I should at least update the only place I'm recording our comings and goings.

Time really has flown for us in this past year and we have had one of the best years too in Bountiful Utah. We've grown really attached to our ward here and have made some great friends. My brother Ramiro and his wife Stacey also moved to Utah last May so she could get a PhD at the UofU in school psychology. So now that we're finally in a ward that we love and could see ourselves staying in for a while, and we have even more family close by we end up having to move. But this move is really exciting for us, and we're ready to move forward. Well to catch you up, we moved to Bountiful for Aaron to be able to start getting experience in the medical field. He has had an awesome job here working as a medical assistant in a Pediatrician's office. He applied to PA school (which I kind of talked about before) but things just didn't work out this year as PA school is very competitive so we were totally not thrown off by this outcome. We both know that it is just going to take some more experience and also get more science classes in so his science GPA will shine. We are also keeping our options open and Aaron is actually trying to get into a nursing program right now so that he can have that to fall back on and possibly go into a nursing practitioner's program once he gets a nursing degree.
Our plan was that we would both apply to grad school, and if he got in then we'd go to school for him, and if he didn't then I would go if I got into school. Well, the application process for me was a bit stressful. I really wasn't sure if I was even going to get into school, and after several rejections, I was already ready to move forward and start doing things to make my application better. Fortunately I was accepted into a program in NM at ENMU, and I was waitlisted at Texas Tech. I accepted the spot I was offered at ENMU instead of waiting to hear about Tech because things in Portales (where ENMU is located) just seemed like they were falling into place for both Aaron and I. Aaron can attend classes at a community college in Clovis where it is super cheap even for out of state residents, and they also have a nursing program he has applied to. I also was offered a graduate assistantship which gives me money, as well as waives my out of state tuition (so I'll qualify for in-state tuition) (SUPER GOOD DEAL) It will almost be as if I won't have to pay tuition at all.
Anyway, needless to say we feel blessed. We expect to have many more years ahead of us of hard work, but this is our start and we're so happy to move forward.

It's crazy how it has almost been a year that I have been staying home with Sam. It has been a wild ride that I have absolutely loved and I'm so grateful I've had this time to spend with him. I've grown so much, and I know my heart is forever changed and bonded to his. There is really something special about being able to stay home with your babies that I will never take for granted. I know it is going to be super hard for me to go back to school and even have to work afterward while Aaron is in a grad program. It's a sacrifice, but I feel like now is as good of a time as any and I'm ready to get it done.

Well friends, that is the update. We have limited time left in Utah since we're moving so Aaron can start class right away in June. Hopefully we can make the best of our time. I'll update again soon with some of our recent adventures. Till then, New Mexico here we come!!! We're excited!

San Diego & My Best Friend's Wedding

My best friend Heather gave us a great reason to escape snowy Utah when she decided to be married in sunny San Diego last Friday. She was a beautiful bride.

Jason her husband seems to be a great guy, well he must be since he won Heather's heart. I was beginning to wonder if anyone would ever make the cut. I'm so glad he did, and I am so happy for her and him.

Her wedding was followed by a beach BBQ, it was great... I wish Sammy would have been more interested in socializing more than trying to escape into the ocean, and eating seaweed and sand. I admit, Aaron and I both wanted to have a blast but we were both a little stressed with our little adventure seeker who we couldn't take our eyes off. I wonder if I will ever have a child who will cling to my leg and won't let me out of his sight. Since I'm on the opposite side of the spectrum right now, I wouldn't mind a little more separation anxiety coming from my baby :).


On Saturday we got to go to the famous San Diego Zoo. It was fun to see the animals and point them out to Sam, not to mention did I say we were in San Diego? The weather was beautiful, it was a perfect day to be outside together.

We ended our trip with a nice visit with Aaron's family in Riverside. Uncle Bob cooked us ribs and chicken on his grill, Grandma Vicky made her famous beans and rice, and we got to talk photography with Uncle David.
San Diego was a great getaway, but it just didn't seem like Christmas in California. Now that it's over and done, we're glad to be back in snowy Utah!

Fields of Gold

So I was looking for my journal tonight to write in, but I couldn't find it in the whole 10 seconds I looked. Sometime in those 10 seconds I remembered I did have a blog that was in desperate need of an updating!Aaron is applying to PA School right now as we speak, he has 13 applications submitted so far including schools in AZ, CA, NY,PA,OR,TX and UT... well we can cross the UT one off because they didn't want our business so we're looking else where but we're optimistic that Aaron will get in somewhere. I've also been quite ambitious myself lately, and I am also preparing to begin applying to grad school. I took the GRE yesterday and received a good score, so now all I have to do is buckle down and pick some schools. This is the hardest part I think though because obviously Aaron's getting into school is more important to me than me getting into school, and not a lot of schools have both our programs. So we'll just have to toss up options into the air and see where the wind takes us because we're both going for it!
Nope, we haven't forgotten we have a wonderful son. He's all part of this decision too, It's going to be a rough couple of years for all of us! Speaking of the bubs, I still love being his mom. I'm probably never going to change my position in feeling like it's so much harder to be selfish with a child. But I do love him so and so really... it's really not that hard. I mean c'mon, who could resist this face?

Sam's been learning some new words. So far (and finally) he can say Mama, Dada, baba, papa, ouch (outh), gotcha (dot tha), Gidget (didit), pants pants pants (ba ba ba), and up. He can also shake his head no and say uhuh, and nods and says uhHUH. At his last apt in October he weighed 28lbs, and was I believe 33 inches tall. This little man is growing so fast not even my muscles are keeping up with him... that's why its a good thing he's walking like a champ now, minus the few falls and quick trips we had to make to the Dr. to get some stitches on his lip (actually a walking with a bottle in his mouth accident) and have his elbow popped back into place (yeah, don't pick a heavy kid up by the arms... ever.)
Anyway, glad the holidays are here! We're looking forward to spending some fun times with family and friends! Love to all!

Summer Sets

As I contemplate what to write in this post, I can think of many stories to share. I only wish I updated this sooner so that I could have remembered/recorded it all. Not that we had an amazingly eventful summer, but this summer was filled with lots of firsts. 1. Aaron's first college degree. (Biology) 2. Aaron's first full time job. 3. My first time ever without a job. (since freshman year college) 4. My first summer as a SAHM. 5. Sammy's first birthday. 6. Sammy's first words. 7. Sammy's first steps.

Oh yeah, and we moved to Bountiful! The move was bittersweet for me at first... I don't really miss the rabbit hutches... sorry wymountians... I loved that place because that was where we called home for 2 years, we brought our baby home to apt 569, and we had some great friends in our ward, but we're glad to be away from the construction, and the living wall to thin wall and on top of our neighbors. I thought that since I love Provo so much, I would definitely need time to adjust and feel like Bountiful was home, but the feeling came quickly. We know we belong here, at least for now. We still live in a small place (a duplex), and we're renting... it's only appropriate since we are living off half of what we used to! But we feel very fortunate and blessed to be in our situation.

Yes, we've had a low key summer, and I loved it! I think I needed time to adjust to being a full time mom- and let me tell you, it was an adjustment! This job is hard work, but I'm so glad it is me who gets to do it. In saying that, I don't regret leaving my wonderful job. I knew when I left full time employment with BYU I'd probably never have a better office, better coworkers, or better benefits. That job had great perks, this one just has more. Poopy diapers, screaming flailing baby and all!

Sam at 7 months

we are playing catchup. Sam is really 10 months on the 15th. he is growing fast and learning to demand more things. So imagine him even bigger than this.

little buddha

I love this picture. I just wanted everyone who looks at this to see this cute picture of Sam.

Teether

Sam has two teeth! This picture was taken before they sprouted, but as it appears he was taking the cutting part pretty well ;).

An update on our family- We're still very busy! I hope it slows down for us when Aaron graduates next month. We'll basically have a year without school so we'll only be working. That is going to be so nice!!! At least the being done with our undergrads part. :)

Aaron is almost finished taking a CNA certification course. He's excited to start getting healthcare experience for PA School. CNAs are very hard workers. I once had an opportunity to become one, and I took the class for a week, but then another work opportunity working for the Girl Scouts of America came up as a camp counselor. I couldn't pass that up, so I walked away from a summer as a CNA. Aaron will most likely work in a nursing home. I personally found that maybe that kind of work would have been hard for me. I'm so glad though that there are people who can do that kind of work and are very good at it--- because they care. I'm not talking about those who don't. That's why taking care of people who can't take care of themselves can be difficult. Aaron worked with the mentally handicapped last summer, and he told me a story about how a woman did not get to eat any dinner one evening because she did not come when they told her to. He said she cryed because she wanted to eat. I felt so bad for her I even became tearful. He said she was being taught a lesson that when it is time to eat, she needs to come. I understand that, but even still I would feel so bad. I would be way too emotionally involved working in that kind of environment. I guess someone like me should just stick to working with computers and people for now.

I'm so proud of Aaron though. He'll be done after this next weekend. I'll try to get a picture of him up wearing his scrubs ASAP :)

Catching up

Here is another video of my punk! ;) My little one turned 7 months this past Sunday so this video is actually not on schedule, we'll be publishing one more shortly then we'll finally be caught up. After he's a year old, I'll try to be a little more creative and just put the good pics of him up. :). Sam is such a good baby. Against much of my own mind's opposition, Aaron and I decided that we needed to sleep train Sam since he'd been waking up several times a night as well as not wanting to go to bed at night until after 10. Since I have to get up early to go to work, this was just not working for us. We took this past holiday weekend to put him to sleep right around 8pm and let him... cry it out! I know... I feel terrible just saying that! BUT he only cried longer than 20 min for the first 3 nights, and for the past 2 he's gone strait to bed in less than a minute. How about that! So... I guess I don't feel so terrible, just more rested ;). AND I more than welcome his screams and squeals at 6 in the morning. Yep, he's sleeping through the night too. It's pretty crazy!
Now all we have to do is get this going to sleep on his own to work with naps too! We're a little more lenient with that though.

Aaron picked out the fun song

Gold in Them Hills

I'm going to be playing catch up for the next few posts. Sammy's life as you know it will be in fast forward... and I guess the same is true for Aaron and I. Fast forward for us too. We just celebrated our third year of marriage on December 30th. I'll save that for another post though. Here's to the fifth month of the star of this blog- and a treat for those of you in my family who have asked that I make time to share Sammy with you. I like the song I've chosen for this video. It's about optimism, and seeing the good in all the bad. Our country is going through a recession, but we feel blessed. A few things I'm thankful for are:
1. a great husband (my best friend)
2. a healthy baby (need I say more)
3. a stable job (and I work for a university)
I'm thankful to the Lord also, who helps me see all the good, and gives me reason to have joy.
Love you all!

1/3 of a year old!

What? Sam turned 4 months today. I don't know why, but for some reason it seems like 4 months is so much older. 4 month olds can do stuff! Sam is beginning to do stuff! Thank goodness, I mean I've loved his sweet newbornish months (I say ish because Sam was always a bigger baby, and I've never seen him behave like those sweet innocent sleepy newborns I've seen around) but I really think Sam just can't wait to get around on his own! What can I say, he likes things to be the way he likes them. My family says I've already made him spoiled. Aaron's family and others say you can't spoil a newborn. My question is when is a baby no longer a newborn?
Regardless, Sammy is 4 months today and he's hitting those anticipated milestones we've been looking out for. He is so cute... if I do say so myself.
Love,
the Mom.

Already 3 Months!

On the 15th Sam turned 3 months old. We can't believe it's already been over 3 months since he was born, and already he has changed so much. I've been trying to keep track of the changes and skills Sammy is developing. I know some of these are so small, but to us, they're huge changes from the uncontrolled movements he was making just weeks before.

Sam...
Smiles in the morning when he wakes up
Hair is starting to fill out in the front
Is starting to grab onto things
Pulled my hair for the first time Sunday Sept 28th
Can put toys in his mouth

Every day we fall more and more in love with this little guy. It is such a blessing to have him in our lives!

Stay at Home Dad...

I was told I also needed to contribute to our family blog. Sophie threatened me she would change the name to Sophie's blog if I didn't post sometimes.

Being a dad is great. I now know what all the full time moms do all day and what they don't get to do. Sophie had to go back to work full time about a month ago, she makes way more working for BYU than I ever would if I were working so I stay home with Sam until she gets home. When Sam is awake I pretty much have to cater to his every whim. He doesn't sleep much during the day and when he does he doesn't like to be put down because he wakes up. I can't complain too much because He is a great night sleeper. I give him a bottle at 10pm long after Sophie has gone to bed and he is asleep no later than 11:30pm. He amazingly sleeps an 8-9 hour night. when he wakes up my day starts with the little guy, again, long after Sophie has gone to work. I don't know what other people's situations are here at BYU but I can hardly get any homework done. As soon as Sophia gets home I'm off to class. So If you call going to class a break I'll take it, even though it doesn't feel like it.

I know this sounds like I'm complaining a little bit but I am proud to be a stay at home half the day dad. Not a lot of guys get to bond with their babies like I get to, getting peed on, pooped on, spat up on, cried at, knowing your appreciated by a helpless being, seeing his happy face in the morning when he wakes up, making him laugh, making him smile. Its the greatest.

I truly love my wife for all she puts up with. She puts bread on the table and also cleans it. She is able to get more done than I am when I'm at home with Sam. She is super woman and a great mom.

de la vega

I'm blessed. I consider myself very fortunate because I married the love of my life, and because he is who he is. I think I sometimes get caught up in so much of the what ifs of life and the uncertainties of our future, that I forget to enjoy the present. There is much to enjoy in our small little BIG world right now. Aaron and I are living in Wymount Terrace -BYU Family Housing. Its very small accommodations, but its quite comfortable.
While I'm on the subject of Wymount, might I just say that I didn't understand what was meant by "rabbit hutches" until I was pregnant and while in Motherhood Maternity a presumptuous short woman who was checking us out asked our address and upon hearing "Wymount Terrace" commented "Oh, the rabbit hutches" Right… ok, so I was a little naive, but I get it, and I must say, ---How rude!
Thank you.
I'll post some pictures of our apartment when I can finally get it clean again. Life really is good. I have an amazing job with an amazing office, and I'm doing something that has nothing to do with my degree, but I love it. Aaron is in his final year of undergrad at BYU. Poor guy has been going strait since he got off his mission. Its been tough since school has consumed us, but we do see the light at the end of the tunnel. And we do have a lot of decisions to make starting next year, namely where to go after BYU and really that depends on where Aaron gets into PA school. Aaron and I both agree that Utah kind of feels like home… so we'll see :).
Anyway, Aaron's birthday is coming up and he is going to be 25. It kind of cheeses me out that when Aaron and I were Juniors in high school we made a deal that when we turned 25 if neither of us were married, that we would marry each other. In December we will have been married for 3 years! It's really gone by so fast! I just wanted to publicly express my love to Aaron. He has been the most amazing husband a girl could ever ask for. He's handsome, helpful, and healthy. Not to mention he is a terrific father. And he treats me pretty good too ;) Thanks for being so great Aaron, I love you!

The Babe!

Without further delay, here it is... finally!

Sam is already almost 2 1/2 months, but here is picture video from month 1-2. He is growing so fast! At his 2 month appointment he weighed in at a whopping 13.8lbs and was 23.5 inches long. I'll post more of an update on the fam in another post, but for now enjoy this babe :).

For Grandmas

Sam is quite the photogenic baby! ;)

Baby Sam

A month ago today, our newest addition was born into our family. He is such a blessing --- a very time consuming one, but we love him so much and love every part of having him. When he was born Aaron and I both were like - "Who does he look like?" Neither of us thought he looked like the other, but I believe we're settling more and more on that he looks like his dad. I'm getting more and more used to the mom business :) and Aaron is such a natural dad. We know Sam was sent special to our family, and we look forward to all the great times to come with him in the picture.
I made this first month movie to show everyone Sam's pictures- hope you enjoy them, he's been a busy boy!

NOTE: The adorable first pictures of my Sammy when he was first born were not taken when he was being born... just so everyone knows- they were taken by Aaron as the nurses were checking him over after he was born :) I've had some interesting first reactions to these!

Practicing announcements

This is my niece Kaia

LOST night, asado and another year older...

I need to get on the ball with this blogging thing... even though I'm not sure who is reading this. Sorry for the long drought, I just get to spend 10 hrs a day working with technology... it's nice to have a break ;). Here we go!


So LOST, it's only our favorite show although it is frustrating how there still is so much we don't understand about the island... We are so happy that Beau and Esther moved into our ward/apt complex as we've got to hang out with them tons, and they just happen to be LOST enthusiasts as well. They came over one night dressed as their favorite characters and really got into character :). Beau as Charlie and Esther as Russeau. I dressed as pregnant Claire, but there will be no pics of that thanks. Aaron dressed as Ben... (just kidding!) Good times!

I also made asado for the first time last month. It actually turned out quite well, considering my mom wasn't here to coach me (OK, I called her like 10 times but she still wasn't _here_ to coach me).I turned 24 on March 31st. My best friend Heather and I were reminiscing of the night I turned 20. We stayed up drinking apple beer and I cried because I didn't want 19 to end. Time really does go by fast! I'm sure I've said this already, but I still can't believe I'm going to be a mom! I'm so excited... and so intimidated!

One of my good friends Irene has a bday just a few days before mine, so we had a little bday get together and had a blast. Irene is also a PL (pregnant lady) and she's due at the end of this month or the beginning of next. I love talking with Irene about being pregnant! She helps me feel normal when I feel anything but.

Yum, that sure was great cake ;)! Esther is a great cook as well!

*Disclaimer: We did not eat the cake by ourselves...

Another Pregnant Post

Today was my day off, so since Aaron's been asking me to come to class with him all semester, I finally went. I took the camera because I wanted to do a photo shoot of him, but he didn't really like that idea, so most of the pictures I did manage to take of him didn't come out great as he was eating jelly beans and making weird faces on purpose-
After this, Aaron insisted on taking pictures of me. I know my family wants to see me get huge, but to be honest, I've been trying to avoid the camera on purpose.

Don't get me wrong, I love my baby bump... I don't love all the other changes ;). When I see pictures of myself lately it always looks to me like I am pushing my stomach forward, and my butt out. I'm not, I promise! Needless to say, I no longer fit into any of my old jeans so they've been put away until after the baby is born.